


Your Name on My Skin

by jujukittychick



Series: LJ stories_a_z prompts [24]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Good Chris Argent, Homophobic Language, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, because Isaac's dad is the worst, past Chris/Victoria
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:55:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28168086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jujukittychick/pseuds/jujukittychick
Summary: A person has their soulmate’s name written on their skin somewhere. Depending on when their other half was born, they may be born with it or it may appear later. Some people never get their name, their other half having died before them, and carry on knowing that they’ll forever be missing something.  And a few, well they wind up with a surprise one day, whether it’s happy or not is another matter
Relationships: Chris Argent/Isaac Lahey, Chris Argent/Victoria Argent
Series: LJ stories_a_z prompts [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/105569
Kudos: 44
Collections: 1 Million Words' A to Z Challenge





	Your Name on My Skin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Naemi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naemi/gifts).



> For 1_million_words a-z challenge - Y, stories_a_z - Y, Merry Trope-mas Day #18: Soulmates
> 
> not my usual trope, not my usual pairing, but here we go. This is for @naemi who really wanted some more Isaac in their life... and then I went and was horrible to him. Hopefully I did okay with him anyway.

~~ Past ~~

~~ Chris ~~

Christopher Argent was born without a name on his skin. That wasn’t too unusual since there was a 50/50 shot that your soulmate was older than you. But, by the time he was old enough for school, and to understand what the names on people’s bodies meant, well, he still didn’t have one. His mother told him that it was alright, it just meant he’d be a few years older than his soulmate was all. By the time he was old enough for middle school, he’d catch his parents giving each other pointed looks whenever the subject of soulmates came up. By the time he was entering high school and his skin was still name free, it was understood that he may be one of the unlucky ones whose soulmate died before they were born. His mother would get a sad, worried look in her eyes occasionally when she looked at him. His dad, on the other hand, simply told him that it was a good thing, that it would interfere with their God-given work, that it was a weakness that could be exploited. Chris wondered what his mother thought about being considered a weakness by her husband. 

~

High school graduation rolled around and instead of following his friends off to college, his dad pulled him into the family business, officially weapon sales, unofficially supernatural creature hunters. Oh he’d been dragged on plenty of hunts growing up, but now it was expected that he’d have his own team that he’d take out, going from town to town looking for those causing trouble and put a stop to it...permanently. Of course, what he considered to be a problem needing to be handled by them and what his father did were two different things.

~

Just into his twenties and skin marred by an ungodly number of scars both large and small from all manner of causes but still no name, Chris was informed by his father that he was going to be married to a woman from a good hunter family. It would tie the families together and make sure there were future generations for both. Chris asked about her soulmate, since his was obviously not an issue, surely she’d be upset. Gerard told him that she would do her duty to her family just as he would and didn’t matter what some name on her skin said. Chris wondered if anybody had bothered to ask  _ her _ about that.

~

Twenty-seven and he was a new father to a beautiful baby girl with no name on her skin. He and Victoria had done their duty to their families and stuck to being reluctant roommates after that with Victoria’s thinking too much in line with Gerard and not enough with being a decent human being. As he looked at the perfect little person in his arms, he wondered if he would be able to protect her from not only the evils of the world but the evils of her family as well.

Four months after his Allison was born, he’d returned from a hunt, bruised and bloody and covered in too many nasty things to mention. After a long, hot shower, he was toweling off when he noticed a smudge on the inside of his arm right above his armpit. Rubbing at it with the towel, thinking it to be some stuck on grime, he scowled when it didn’t come off. Assuming it must be a bruise, he put it out of his mind.

A year later, a smudge appeared on his daughter’s wrist that wouldn’t wash off and didn’t go away. Panicked, he took her to the doctor who simply looked at him as if he was crazy.

“It’s her soulmate mark. Don’t you remember your own?”

“I never got a mark. But what do you mean? It’s just a smudge?”

The doctor gave him a compassionate look but then laughed at his confusion, “Well, since her soulmate was apparently just born, it’s unlikely they’re able to sign their name yet. Once they’re able to write their names then the first signature mark will appear. Typically, it’ll change about once a year as they learn to write until it settles around middle or high school.”

Chris had honestly never thought about how the soulmate marks worked, he’d just always understood it was the other person’s name, it never dawned on him that their signature would change as they aged. Looking pensively at the blackish smudge on his daughter’s tiny wrist, he suddenly remembered where he had seen a mark like that before. Eyes widening, he stared up at the doctor fearfully and raised his arm, his t-shirt sleeve sliding down, “Um, Doc, is this…?”

The doctor’s eyebrows shot up as he looked from the mark to Chris’ face. “Oh.”

“Well, fuck.”

“Yes, I think...um, when did it show up?”

“I noticed it a few months after Alli was born. I’m constantly hauling stuff around so I just assumed I’d bruised myself.”

The doctor took a seat. “This is not the end of the world, Mr. Argent. Yes, you will be significantly older than your soulmate, but it has been known to happen before.”

“But, what if we meet before...I’m not some child molestor.”

“No! No no no, Mr. Argent, it won’t be anything like that, I promise. You will feel the soulmate bond, yes, but that’s all it is, a bond. What you make of that bond is up to you. As you already know,” he gestured towards the peacefully sleeping Allison, “People have free will and relationships can be formed without being with your mate.”

“So what am I supposed to do?”

The doctor gave him a sympathetic smile, “Carry on with your life. Depending on your relationship with your wife, you should probably mention it and discuss what this means to the two of you. Another year or so and you’ll find out your mate’s name. You may not even meet them until they’re already an adult and your most pressing concern will be moot.”

“Yeah…” Chris took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Yeah, okay. Like you said, there’s not much I can do about it now anyway. Thank you.”

“Of course. If you have any more concerns, you might want to check out the websites in these pamphlets, or you can always make an appointment though there’s not really much that I can do about it.”

Shifting his hold on his daughter, he stood and shook the man’s hand. “Thanks again. For everything. I guess I have some homework to do.”

~

Thirty years old and his Alli was starting to scribble words, or her version of them at least. Both of their mate marks were still smudges but he was sure the two of them would have names before too much longer. Looking at her childish scribbles, the lopsided and imperfectly formed letters, he wondered what it would be like to have his soulmate’s name written just the same.

He and Victoria had gotten into a massive fight when he’d told her the news. She couldn’t care less about Allison’s mark and she didn’t see any reason why he was worried about his own. 

“Allison will marry whoever we tell her. And it’s not like you’re going to be with whoever your soulmate is, you’re married to me.”

“And neither one of us wanted this marriage. You  _ have _ a soulmate already, an adult, don’t you want to find them?”

Victoria scowled and waved his concerns away. “I know who my soulmate is, we grew up together.”

Chris was startled, all they’d ever discussed before that point was that she had a soulmate mark and that she would do as her family told her. She’d never mentioned knowing him. “But, then why…?”

“Oh please, like I would throw myself away on some romantic fantasy of a relationship when marrying you would bring two powerful hunter families together. Your father made the offer to my father and I agreed it was the logical choice.”

Chris was shocked, even though he wasn’t sure why. He’d known Victoria was cold and calculating, and it wasn’t like their relationship had ever been about romance, he couldn’t even call them friends. But her completely dismissing the very idea of their soulmates, of deciding that his little girl would likely never be with hers, it was unbelievable. But what option did he have? Gerard ran Chris’ life and until he could find a way to break away from him, there was little he could do.

~

Allison wrote her name for the first time, misspelled and wrongly formed letters and all, so proud as she showed him the page she had written on. He wondered what the parents of her soulmate thought about those letters appearing on their child’s skin. He wondered how long his own would take to appear now, they should be right on track with his daughter after all. He wondered if it was strange that he was now eager to see those little misshapen letters appear on his own skin.

~

Allison’s name showed up a year later and she squealed, rushing to show Chris and make him tell her what it said. A wonky little  _ scot _ in crooked black lines wrapped the top of her wrist like a cuff bracelet. He kissed it and told her how to say his name, told her what it meant and she giggled and repeated the name to herself over and over as she ran off to play with her toys.

Chris crossed his arms, absently running his thumb over the grey smudge under his arm. A year after Alli had written her name and his soulmate mark was still a blur. His thoughts were troubled as he wondered what could be delaying his little mate wherever they were, were they injured or did they have developmental issues or, hell, were they in a third world country and illiterate. Whatever the case, he couldn’t stop the background worry he carried with him day in and day out.

~

A month after Allison received her mark, Chris felt a warm tingle against his skin. After he’d finished the hunt he was on and had finally showered off the blood, and worse, from his body, he stood in front of his mirror and took a deep breath before raising his arm. There in tiny black squiggles was his mate’s name. And it  _ was _ tiny, and with the location, hard to read. Squinting his eyes he made out  _ bob _ . So a boy then, maybe a Bobby or Robert?

Rolling his eyes at himself, he dragged out his phone and snapped a picture, flipping the image to correct orientation, then went cold, his hand tightening on the phone until it creaked. What he thought was Bob, written in the tiniest shakiest looking letters he’d ever seen, a year later than he probably should have gotten them, was instead,  _ boy _ . 

What the fuck was happening to his soulmate?

~~ Isaac ~~

Isaac Lahey was born with a name on his skin. That wasn’t too unusual since there was a 50/50 shot that your soulmate was older than you. But the name he wore was written in perfect, though tightly written, cursive, not the handwriting of a small child or even a young teenager. The  _ Christopher _ written proudly in thin black lines was that of an adult, an adult  _ man. _

Isaac of course knew nothing of this, would know nothing of it for several more years. All tiny Isaac knew was the loud noises that scared him and made him cry, which just led to more loud noises until finally there’d be a thumping and then a soft noise which came with food and warmth and soft touches. Occasionally there was a small voice too with the soft voice and he liked those times very much.

~

Boy was two when his mommy died, of course he didn’t know that, just knew that she never came home, that it was only him and his brother Cam and his daddy who was always so so very angry with Boy no matter what he did. Especially when he changed Boy’s clothes or gave him a bath. Cam tried to help but he wasn’t much older than Boy.

It wasn’t always bad, usually his daddy just pretended he wasn’t there or played with Cam. But then he’d get sad and then he’d get mad and start yelling at Boy. Cam told him it was because their mommy’s name disappeared that he was so upset. That he didn’t like the name Boy had but he didn’t know why. Boy wished he didn’t have a name too.

~

Boy was three and was trying to learn his words, how to write, but it was hard and Cam tried but he was in school during the day and daddy would barely talk to Boy except to tell him to be quiet and be still and stay out of the way and at night Cam had homework and daddy went to work. Cam told him some of the other kids his age went to daycare and learned things. Boy wanted to go too but daddy said that he didn’t want anyone seeing the name Boy had on his chest. Boy really wished he didn't have a name on his skin. He finally worked up the nerve to ask his brother what the word said, what it meant. He told him it was the name of the person made just for him, that the person’s name was Christopher and he wrote really fancy. Boy thought he’d like to have a person just for him, well him and Cam. And if they were a grownup like Cam said, maybe they could take care of them instead of daddy who didn’t want them anymore. 

~

Boy was four and in daycare and was finally learning his letters and words and how to write them. The teacher told them to write their names, what they were called, on the special paper with the lines. So Boy, carefully as he could, wrote his name. He didn’t understand why the teacher got so upset when she asked why he wrote it though, when he told her it was what his daddy called him all the time. 

His daddy got really mad that night, yelling and throwing things, and calling Boy mean names, wanting to know why he wrote his name on the paper. But he didn’t understand, told daddy that’s what he always called Boy so that’s what he wrote. That was the first time daddy hit him, hard enough it knocked him over and he started to cry from the pain. His daddy grabbed his arm and shook him and told him his name was  _ Isaac _ and made him write it over and over until he could write it without his daddy spelling it. Later, Cam told him he was proud of him and how  _ Christopher _ would probably like knowing his name.  _ Isaac _ touched his chest, let his fingers trail over the letters there. Some days, when his daddy got angry looking at him, he wished he didn’t have  _ Christopher _ . Other days, it was only the thought that  _ Christopher _ was out there and would want him no matter what that kept him from curling up in bed and crying.

~

Years passed, Isaac learned to keep his shirt on around other people so they wouldn’t see his  _ Christopher _ , learned to wear long sleeves and pants so they wouldn’t see his bruises. His dad told him his  _ Christopher  _ was bad, that he was a  _ man _ and an  _ adult _ and he must be a  _ pervert _ for having a little boy as a mate. That  _ Isaac _ must be a disgusting freak, and a lot of other words that Cam told him were dirty and wrong and he shouldn’t say in public, for having a  _ man _ as a soulmate. Most of the time, Isaac had no idea what his dad was talking about, he just wanted him to stop yelling, to stop hitting. He just wanted to be loved like Cam told him their mother loved them. He wished he could remember it. He wondered if  _ Christopher _ would love him if they ever met or if he’d hate him like his dad did.

~

Cam was dead. Isaac was fifteen and Cam was dead. Cam had told him he loved him and he was sorry and went away to become a soldier. And then Cam died. Cam died and Isaac was alone with his dad who made sure to tell him it was all his fault that Cam was dead, that his mother was dead. That he was a freaky fag who would never be anything but some old man’s whore.

He got locked in the freezer for the first time that night. He screamed and he cried and beat his hands bloody against the door. He begged for  _ Christopher _ for  _ Cam _ for  _ mommy _ to save him, but nobody ever came. He wished he had been the one to have died. His dad would be happy if he had  _ Cam _ instead of Isaac. He wondered if  _ Christopher _ would be happier without Isaac’s name on his skin.

~~ Present ~~

~~ Chris ~~

Chris stepped out of the shower, feeling so much older than his years, a bone weary exhaustion weighing him down after the events of the past several months. Kate, his baby sister, had seduced someone Alli’s age, used him for information, then trapped his family in his home and burned them alive. A completely peaceful pack who had kept the area supernaturals in check, and she killed them because they were there. He’d called Gerard, horrified, told him what had happened, that the last two members of the Pack had claimed rightful retribution. Gerard had told Chris to slaughter them for killing Kate. That Kate was doing God’s work ridding the world of the beasts, the monsters, before they could wipe out the town. Chris had explained how the Hales were a peaceful pack, had been part of the town for generations. Gerard would hear none of it, had called Chris a traitor, said he’d speak to  _ Victoria _ about taking care of things.

Closing his eyes, his head dropped. Fucking Victoria and fucking Kate, the two of them had twisted his sweet, loving, feisty baby girl into someone he didn’t recognize. She’d come home from the first day of school so excited, she’d finally met her  _ Scott _ , and he was kind and wonderful and funny and sweet, and on and on. And then they found out he was a werewolf and the women he should have been able to trust with his daughter, tried to turn her into a murderer, tried to get her to  _ kill her soulmate _ , tried to kill him themselves. Now, after explaining things, the entire situation he had found out through the mouthy kid Stiles and his father the Sheriff and, reluctantly, Derek Hale himself, she was a wreck, locking herself away in her room as she cried over what she had done, what she had tried to do, about Kate, and about helping to kill a man, even if Peter Hale was feral.

And the worst part was, he couldn’t do a damn thing. Well, he couldn’t do anything except call his lawyers in the morning and file for divorce and full custody of Allison. There wasn’t much he could do about Gerard, at least for the time being, but he could at least try to get his baby away from Victoria’s hateful influence. Bringing the towel up to dry his hair, he looked at the letters scrawled against his skin and brushed over them with his thumb. Plus, his soulmate was older now, almost legal. He wanted a chance to meet him, to see what could happen. It still bothered him every time he saw that fragile looking signature, ever since the first barely legible  _ boy _ to this latest  _ Isaac,  _ still written so small and tightly, as if he was trying to hide even his name. What had happened to his mate?

Sighing, he finished drying off and pulled on a pair of sleep pants before making his way to his bed. Thank every deity who would listen that he and Victoria had separate rooms, he’d be sleeping on the couch otherwise. Closing his eyes, he thought over the scene he had witnessed earlier, Peter ripping out Kate’s throat, the kids killing Peter, and Derek and the teens standing around looking so unsure and lost...so young. It was easy to forget that Derek was only a couple years older than his daughter and her schoolmates. He thought about the roll he himself had played in things, shooting and threatening both Derek and Scott, letting his sister literally get away with murder through his own willful blindness, letting Gerard and Victoria manipulate him and his little girl.

He had so much to atone for. Derek was going to need all the help he could get, now truly the last Hale and holding the Alpha spark, he was going to need Betas and if word got around that people were suddenly being bitten, things could go badly quickly. 

Sighing, he tried to make his mind rest, his fingers idly tracing over his mate’s name, and let himself drift off wondering what he’d be like...and what he needed rescuing from.

~~ Isaac ~~

Isaac wondered what the group of them were doing standing in an abandoned train depot. From the looks on everyone else’s faces they all were. 

“Seriously, Sourwolf, you’re going to have puppies to take care of, you can’t live in a tetanus death trap waiting to happen.”

Isaac rolled his eyes at Stiles’ babbling, but he wasn’t wrong either. Being the abandoned train cars and track pieces and random crates and shit stacked around, he was kinda worried about bumping into something. But Derek said that they all needed to sit down and talk about the Bite and the consequences of it. Personally, extra strength, speed, and claws and fangs sounded wonderful and he didn’t really care about any possible consequences. He’d be able to protect himself for the first time in his life. Anything else he could learn to deal with.

While they were all cautiously taking seats around the empty floor in front of one of the train cars, Allison walked in with some DILF, actually, from the resemblance,  _ her _ dad, but still. He was tall, taller than Isaac even, with broad shoulders, dark hair just going silver at the temples, and a couple days worth of scruff making him look rugged. The weapons he could see peeking out as his jacket moved when he shook Derek’s hand just reinforced the dangerously competent look he seemed to manage effortlessly. No wonder Allison was such a badass.

As the two men talked, Stiles’ dad arrived and joined the conversation as well, managing to somehow keep his son out of the conversation for the time being. Isaac tried to join in the conversations with the others, but his gaze was continuously drawn back to the stranger, though after the third time the man caught him looking, he ducked his head, blushing. He didn’t know what had gotten into him, he wasn’t normally like this, he’d been around plenty of good looking males and females over the years and he’d honestly never felt anything towards any of them. Now this stranger shows up and he can’t keep his eyes off him. Before he could think any harder about it, the men began talking.

Derek introduced the stranger as Alli’s dad, Mr. Argent, and explained that he was a hunter, that traditionally it was his job to hunt their kind if they got out of line. But hunters had also worked with local packs to help take care of other supernatural issues that the packs couldn’t take care of themselves for whatever reason. They went on to explain hunters who didn’t follow the code, like Mr. Argent’s sister apparently, and what the dangers of that were. They talked about the Bite failing, of the changes they’d go through if the Bite was successful, what they’d have to do to learn control so they didn’t hurt anyone. It was a lot, but nothing they said scared Isaac off the idea. It had been 17years of fear and pain and he’d found a way out. Nothing would change his mind now.

~

After the men finished speaking, Allison brought her dad over to introduce him properly to the group.

“Dad, this is Erica, Boyd, Jackson, Lydia, and Isaac. Guys, this is my dad, Chris Argent.”

Isaac stared wide-eyed at the man, felt his whole body trembling in fear and nerves and hope. There was no way it could be him.

“Isaac?” Chris was staring back at him, something that looked like hope in his blue eyes as he held out his hand to shake.

“Chris...Christopher?” Isaac stumbled over the question, afraid to look away from the older man, completely ignoring the curious looks and questions from the people around them as he clasped hands with him, and then he was gasping with the overwhelming warmth that was suddenly filling his body.

The next thing Isaac knew, he was plastered against a hard body, head tucked against a strong shoulder as he clung tightly, trembling, repeating over and over, “You’re here, you’re really here, you’re real, you came.”

A deep, rumbly voice whispered against his neck where a stubbled face nuzzled him, strong arms hugging him tight, “Oh, kid, what’s been happening to you? I’ve been so worried for so long.”

~~ Chris ~~

After the initial bond rush faded, Chris finally noticed the crowd surprising them with looks ranging from concerned to happy to outright shock. With the kid, his  _ mate _ , still clinging to him, he settled down on one of the crates, drawing the willowy teen onto his lap, cuddling him much as he had Allison so many times in the past. Speaking of…

“D..Dad?”

“So, surprise, I have a soulmate.” Chris said sheepishly. He’d never really talked about his mark, and considering its placement, she’d never really noticed. The unimpressed look she gave him spoke volumes. “Sorry, sweetie, it’s just...I never knew if I’d ever get a chance to meet him, and considering I knew how young he was, well I wasn’t sure whether I should bother looking or not.” Looking down at the cherubic face tucked against his chest, tears leaking steadily over flushed cheeks, he combed his fingers through Isaac’s thick blonde curls, “Though I really wish I had now.”

The Sheriff came to Chris’ rescue finally, casting a concerned look at the quietly crying teen on his lap. “Why don’t you kids head out, take a day to think about things, talk to Scott and Stiles. There’s no immediate rush, and this is life changing, you need to be sure.”

After the teens reluctantly left, Derek hovering nearby, awkwardly concerned and looking the more dour for it, the Sheriff took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he gave the kid a sad look. “Isaac, is there something I need to know? Something I can help you with? Anything?”

Isaac shook his head furiously, fear evident in his entire posture, and from the way Derek’s eyes flashed, his scent as well. “No...no, sir. Everything’s fine, really! It’s just...just kind of overwhelming, you know? I’m fine!”

Chris glanced over Isaac’s shoulder to Derek who just shook his head slightly, frowning even more than normal. “Isaac, you know you can tell us anything right? We just want to take care of you. That’s what Pack does.”

“I’m sure I’ll be better in a couple of days once everything settles. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“If you’re sure?” Chris sighed unhappily at his quick nod, knowing something was definitely wrong with his mate. “Alright, why don’t you grab your things and I can give you a ride home, get to know each other a little bit?”

“Yeah...yeah, okay.” 

After the teen slipped from his lap, Derek distracting him, Chris looked at the Sheriff questioningly.

The Sheriff shook his head slightly, speaking softly, his back to the other two, “I can’t do anything without either evidence or a complaint. I can call CPS but it’ll be tomorrow before they can go check on nothing but a hunch.”

“Damn. Thanks. I’ll let you know if he says anything though.” After shaking the man’s hand, he walked towards the teen, making sure his footsteps were loud enough to be heard. With how jumpy the kid was already, he didn’t want to risk frightening him. “All set?”

~~ Isaac ~~

The ride back to Isaac’s house was nice, Chris’ SUV was so comfortable and they chatted about little things, about favorite foods and music, types of movies they liked, nothing intense, nothing about Isaac’s earlier breakdown. He couldn’t tell the man how much he appreciated that. 

Parking in front of Isaac’s house, Chris turned to look at him, giving him the softest smile he’d ever seen. One of those large, warm hands reached up, cupping his face before brushing back the curls that spilled over his forehead.

“Anybody ever tell you that you look like an angel?”

Thinking of all the names his father had called him over the years, Isaac let out a pained laugh, “Not even close.”

Chris frowned, “Well you do...my own personal angel.” Letting his hand fall back to his lap, he asked, “Can I hug you again?”

“Yes! Yes, please.” Isaac never realized how starved for affection he had become after his brother died until Chris’ arms were holding him tight, so warm and strong, like he could protect him from the world. Like he  _ would _ protect him. As he clung to the older man, reveling in his strength, he felt the man nuzzle against his neck and the faintest brush of lips which sent a shiver through him. 

Reluctantly letting his mate go, Chris held out his hand. “Let me give you my number. You can call or message anytime. If I don’t answer, I’m probably wrapped up in something work related but I’ll respond as soon as I can.” Chris hesitated, a frown tugging at his lips, “Things are complicated in both our lives right now, but I want us to get to know each other. I want to see where this might go eventually. You’re still young, and you have a lot to look forward to in life, so I don’t want to rush into anything.”

Handing over his phone, he couldn’t make himself meet Chris’ eyes, not knowing the father shaped problem that he was hiding. “Thank you, I’d like that. I...I want that too, getting to know each other.” Feeling the tips of his ears heat up, he ducked his head, “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

Chris’ eyebrows rose in surprise as he handed back the phone, “Really? Not even a little?”

Isaac could only shake his head, completely embarrassed at having admitted that.

Chris reached out and tipped Isaac’s chin up until he could meet his eyes, “Well, thank you, angel, that’s the best compliment I’ve ever gotten.” Leaning forward he pressed a chaste kiss to his mate’s forehead. “Go on, and message me later, alright?”

“Alright. Goodnight, Chris.”

“Goodnight, Isaac.”

Chris waited until Isaac got in his house before driving off, making him smile and hug himself at the obvious sign of care. The warm, fuzzy feeling Chris’ words and hug and gentle touches had given him was quickly dispelled by the harsh grip on his arm hauling him further into the house.

“Who the fuck was that? Knew you were nothing but a whore! Find yourself a sugar daddy, huh?”

“No!” Isaac tried his best to tug his arm out of his father’s grasp, but it was useless. “No, dad, that was him, that’s my soulmate! I found him!” He should have known better than to think that him finding his soulmate would make his dad take it easier on him, though, especially not as drunk as he was.

“So the pervert finally showed his face! Surprised it took him this long. But I won’t have it! No son of mine is gonna be a faggot. I’ll drive it out of you one way or another.” 

“What? No! No, let me go, dad! I’ll stay away from him, I promise! I’ll...I’ll…” Isaac didn’t know what he would have said because the next thing he saw was his dad’s fist coming towards his face. Then he didn't know anything at all for a long time.

~

When Isaac blinked, it was pitch black and his head was spinning. Trying to remember what happened, he finally remembered his dad’s fist flying at him. Afraid he’d damaged his eyes, Isaac reached out, trying to figure out where he was, when he’d barely moved his arm and hit a cool, slick surface, his worry turned to full on panic. Feeling around him, his arms and legs unable to stretch out in any direction, Isaac tried to fight back the panic. He was in the freezer, but it would be okay, his dad always let him out, there was always air, it was just dark and small and...and… Fumbling in his pockets, hoping desperately, he found them empty, his phone missing. As the darkness pressed in on him and his head began to spin even more, Isaac began to scream.

~~ Chris ~~

Chris glanced at his phone again. Nothing. He’d dropped Isaac off at 7PM the night before, now it was after 11AM and he still hadn’t heard anything from the teen. At first he’d thought maybe the teen just needed some time to come to term with things, but he’d had a horrible feeling since he’d woken up and it had only gotten worse as the hours passed. Finally giving up, he texted his daughter.

To Alli-cat: Is Isaac there?

It grated on his nerves waiting for a response but he knew she was in class. As he waited, he sent a text to the Sheriff and Derek.

To Sheriff, Derek: Think Isaac is in trouble. No contact since I dropped him off and horrible feeling all morning. Waiting to hear if he’s in school.

Unable to sit still any longer, he finished getting dressed, strapping on his weapons. His phone chiming for an incoming text, had him scrambling for it where he’d left it sitting on the bed.

From Alli-cat: Haven’t seen him all morning. Something wrong?

To Alli-cat: Going to find out, will let you know.

To Sheriff, Derek: Isaac’s not at school. Meet me at his house.

It felt like it took forever to get to the teen’s house, and waiting for the other two men to show up was even worse. As the police car pulled up and the two men stepped out, Chris quickly made his way up the drive to pound on the door. “Isaac? Mr. Lahey?”

Derek cocked his head, freezing for a moment before his eyes glowed. “I hear something, it’s incredibly muffled though, but it doesn’t sound good.”

Chris barely even glanced at the Sheriff before kicking the door open, yelling, “Isaac! Isaac, it’s Chris! Isaac?!”

An older man came stumbling out of one of the back rooms wearing a stained shirt and boxers, words slurring as he yelled. “What are you doing in my house? Who the fuck are you people?” Finally seeming to focus on Chris, he pointed, “You! You’re the pervert that ruined my kid! Turned him...turned him into a faggot. ‘S all his fault! Your fault! Took my wife from me! Took my good boy!”

Ducking the wildly swinging fist aimed his way, Chris punched the man in the gut, making him double over and start heaving.

The Sheriff pulled out his handcuffs. “Go on, you two try to find him, I’ll take care of him and call for reinforcements.”

Following whatever sound Derek was hearing, they finally found a door leading to the basement in the kitchen. As soon as they flipped on the light though, they were met with a room empty of anything except storage overflow. Then he heard it, a wild thumping from inside a padlocked freezer chest. Eyes widening, he ran over to it, looking around the area for a key. “Isaac? Isaac, it’s Chris and Derek. We’re going to get you out of there, angel, just hold on.”

Pushing Chris out of the way, Derek grabbed hold of the padlock and yanked, ripping the whole latch off the freezer. Shoving the lid off, Derek had to fight back shifting completely at the sight of the teen curled up in the freezer, bruise covering half his face and his hands bruised and bloody from where they had obviously beaten against the walls of the chest.

“Oh, angel, fuck, hold on, I’ve got you, baby.” Chris reached into the chest, his heart breaking as the teen flinched away from his touch at first. “Shh, baby, it’s Chris, come on, let me get you out of there.”

Pulling Isaac out of the freezer, Chris stumbled back, landing on the floor as he curled around his mate, hands skating over his arms and chest, checking for injuries before gently probing as his head. “Speak to me angel, please, let me know you’re going to be alright.”

“Chr...Chris? I...You...You came.” Isaac sobbed and then he was clinging to Chris, arms and legs wrapped around him as he shuddered and cried.

“Shh, angel, I’m here. I’ve got you. Derek and the Sheriff are here too. We’re going to take care of you. Everything’s going to be alright. You’re safe. I’m here.”

~~ The Future ~~

Chris would like to say that things went quickly after they rescued Isaac, but nobody would ever accuse the judicial system of moving fast. Isaac’s dad was arrested and Isaac sent to the hospital to be evaluated. Child services stepped in and it was decided that he would go to live with Scott and his mother until he turned eighteen and then everybody could re-evaluate then.

Chris’ divorce took longer than he believed necessary because Victoria and Gerard both were fighting him, but after hearing statements from Allison as well as the adults, it was ruled that since she was almost an adult legally, she could choose who she wanted to live with. Not too surprisingly after everything that had happened, she chose to live with Chris and stay in Beacon Hills. 

Isaac and the other teens all received the Bite staggered out over several months so Derek wasn’t trying to handle more than one out of control werewolf at once. Between the regular pack meetings and get togethers, the group was able to come together mostly smoothly, growing to be close friends.

Isaac and Chris started out slow, very public meetings in very public places while Chris was in the process of his divorce, though the fact that he’d met his soulmate factored heavily in his favor along with the fact that it was an arranged marriage anyway. They talked about Isaac’s therapy sessions, about Chris’ work, official and unofficial, their likes and dislikes. After the divorce, they started making slightly less public outings, holding hands and hugging, cuddling under the stars. 

When Graduation Day finally rolled around, Chris cheered just as loudly for Isaac as he did for Allison. And after she gave him an excited hug and a knowing look, she stepped away just in time for Isaac to fling himself into Chris’ arms, kissing the man for the first time. As the kiss dragged on and on, their promise bands shining on their fingers, the pack cheered and catcalled, making the two blush as they finally broke away from each other.

It had been a long, painful road to get where they were, but, as the two stared lovingly into each others’ eyes, their family and friends around them, they would both agree it was totally worth it.


End file.
